Disclaimer: Persona 5 Characters except Fujin Katsuo belongs to Atlus, this fanfic has no commercial purpose.

Now for real.

"Hey, Katsuo-kun?" Nanami-senpai asked me while almost done with my shift.

It was Monday, the 8th, and the city seemed to quiet down. My coworker saw me with concerned eyes as if something terrible happened.

"What's up?" I answered.

"I saw a cat in the road a little back...it was injured badly." Her words were wary. "When I got close, it got scared and ran off, dragging its leg..."

"That sounds horrible," I said with grimace.

"Yeah, and I just overheard some college-aged people in our store talking..."

"And?"

"They said there was a college student living nearby who abuses animals to relieve his stress...And then I remembered that injured cat I saw. I'm thinking maybe he was the one who hurt that cat..." Nanami-senpai had difficulties explaining but did her best to clarify the details.

"That guy sounds like a real piece of shit!" I said while clearing my throat. "Sorry my language. Shouldn't you call the police or something?"

"I know how you feel, but the police can't do anything without any proof..." my coworker said, lamenting. "I've been thinking about that cat ever since. It's hard to keep smiling."

"I guess I wouldn't focus as well if knowing that. I can't expect help from the police anyway."

We were quiet for a moment. No clients were around, so nobody interrupted our conversation. I began thinking about how some people were gaining satisfaction from hurting animals. What did the little guys do to deserve that? Absolute despicable.

"You know..." Nanami-senpai said as her eyes were filled with hope. "The police can't do it, but do you think those Phantom Thieves could help?"

I was surprised by her sudden idea, but I couldn't say she was wrong to request that since Tokyo's Not-So-Finest wouldn't do anything useful as usual. That left me in charge of getting the info for the other guys when we go to Mementos.

"What's that guy's name?" I asked sternly.

"Huh? Oh, yeah..." Nanami-senpai spaced out for a moment before facing back at me. "I think his name is Tsuboi Kazuo..."

I groaned after learning that his name sounded almost like mine. Another nuisance in my life, but we were ready to handle things from now on.

"I let the Phantom Thieve know on their website," I said while reassuring my coworker.

She seemed to smile again. "Yeah...I couldn't stand if he kept hurting animals like this. Someone needs to stop him..."

I nodded. Nanami-senpai then looked at her phone and saw the hour. She seemed somewhat distraught when turning at me. "Oh, I'm sorry. It's almost the end of your shift, right? Good work!"

I went to the employee's room to remove my uniform and grab my backpack. "See you tomorrow," I said, waving my hand at Nanami-senpai before leaving the store.

Once outside, I got my phone receiving notifications like crazy. I checked for any messages, and all I got were Kurusu's.

Akira: Hey, do you have a moment?
Katsuo: What is it?
Akira: I want to ask you a favor.
Akira: I got info from Mishima about people whose hearts he needs to change, and they were around Shibuya and Shinjuku.
Akira: Since you work on those places, could you help me gather info from our possible targets?
Katsuo: Were the guys someone who abuses his employees and another who mistreats animals?
Akira: Yes. How did you know?
Katsuo: Already ahead of you.
Akira: Great job, Katsuo.
Akira: I will let the others know when we travel to Mementos later this month.
Akira: I'll be looking for info on more targets in the meantime.
Katsuo: Alright. Glad that I proved myself useful.
Katsuo: Later.

Writing down the names of the possible targets really came in handy. I didn't know when our Mementos expedition would happen, but I had to stay put regardless.

Today, I had some free time before going to Crossroads. My schedule at that place had been irregular since I tended to switch days depending on how much work we had. Lala-chan tried to accommodate Kurusu's shift several times, but having two part-timers wasn't optimal for a small bar. My boss told me the business had been relatively slow lately, so she couldn't afford two dishwashers in the same week. There was little choice but to let Kurusu go since he had less time working there than me and was a high schooler.

There were no hurt feelings, though. Kurusu at least understood that, and he would visit us occasionally, especially since he was the source for Ohya-san. She had been writing positive things about us in her articles, even if public opinion didn't shift much in our favor. I couldn't care in the slightest if we were liked or not.

I walked to the subway station and considered what to do before my next job. I could go somewhere for a quick bite while reading. The choices were vast, but I didn't have the luxury of traveling everywhere without my bicycle.

"The Train to Shijuku had been delayed!" I heard the PA's voice through the station's speaker. "We're sorry for the inconvenience! Please wait for further notice!"

"Just my luck..." I muttered while exhaling a long sigh.

I needed something to cool my head, so I went toward the vending machine for a water bottle. The closest one was the malfunctioning machine, so I did the usual routine of buying something, getting stuck, and smacking it on the side, hoping it would give me my drink with something extra.

That would be ideal, but not today. After three smacks, that damn vending machine wouldn't cough up my water bottle. It was the last thing I needed, but not everything was sour.

"Oh, hello, Kat-kun."

I heard a familiar, gentle voice on my left. I turned and saw Haru walking toward me. She wore a turquoise dress, pink shoes, and white stockings, and her presence gave an elegant air, different from when she wore Shujin's gym uniform.

"Oh, hey," I said while trying to act less upsetting. It was awkward, as I assumed that Haru saw me trying to beat that machine. "I, uh, what's up?"

"Nothing much, and you?" she asked.

"I was just mulling around," I cleared my throat. "Have you been busy attending the school's plants?"

"Oh, no, I didn't go there today," Haru said politely. "I handled it yesterday, so I decided to visit a café today instead."

"That sounds nice," I replied before looking at the machine and trying to hit the sides again. Nothing came out.

"Are you having trouble?"

"It's nothing. This machine never works, and nobody seemed to care about repairing it." I gave in to my frustration. Haru started staring at me with a strange look that confused me. "Uhh, is something wrong?"

"I remember," she said with a more straightforward tone as she had a realization. "We met during the Fireworks Festival, didn't we?"

"Ah, yeah, we did," I said with a small flash in my mind. "You had trouble with his machine, too. It was a shame the fireworks got canceled because of the rain."

"Yeah, I was really looking for it." Haru sighed momentarily. "I'm still thankful for the help, however."

"It was nothing. You shouldn't have that kind of luck as me. But my little trick won't work anymore."

I tried smacking it one more, but it was too many times. Asking her to pay for my drink wouldn't solve anything, either. Not wasting more time was logical, but the girl beside me wouldn't say the same.

"Let me try it," Haru offered, which made me raise an eyebrow.

"What?" I said in a confused manner. "There's no hope for this thing."

"I want to repay you for helping me that day!" Haru said eagerly. "I just need to hit it, right?"

"Yeah, but it's not gonna work if you try it."

"Don't worry, I'm strong enough for a hard hit."

"That's not what I mean..."

If you asked me, I wouldn't believe Haru was weak. Doing some gardening was challenging, but if she broke the machine after I tried shaking it first, I didn't want her to get into trouble because of me.

I couldn't refuse her aid since she acted cordially with me despite being a down-on-his-luck idiot. I stepped aside and let her give it a shot. I watched for security in case they caught us "nudging" the vending machine.

She raised her hand, and with a single smack on the machine's side, we heard rattling noises from inside that I feared for the worst. For five seconds of what I thought the vending machine went kaput, we saw two bottles finally coming out, and neither was what I was hoping for.

"Do you like Earl Grey tea?" she asked when looking at both bottles.

"This is not what I ordered," I muttered. I grabbed the bottles and offered one to Haru.

"Don't you want it?" she said.

"Not my thing. I prefer coffee."

"Is that so? What kind of coffee?"

"I...don't know?"

I felt like an ignorant bum. I never cared what coffee I drank unless it was from Leblanc. However, asking me for any specific coffee was a different matter. I wasn't sure how to respond.

And yet, she looked at me and asked, "Do you have free time now?"

"What?" I responded with strangeness. "Why?"

"I want to go to a café I have always wanted to check out because I heard the coffee is exquisite."

"Where exactly?"

She pulled out her phone from her purse and quickly showed me the café's name in the search app. Much to my surprise, I recognized the place.

"Huh, I was there before."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I can show the way."

"Please, if you will."

Before heading to our destination, I looked for Kiritani to hand him the other bottle of Earl Grey tea I had. He was grateful for it. Haru didn't mind the slight detour, and she seemed surprisingly calm that I was acquainted with a homeless man. High school girls would typically be creeped out by being near him, but that wasn't the case.

You might ask where we went, and the answer wasn't Leblanc. Somewhere I visited once last month: Miel et crepes, in Kichijoji. It was nothing I expected today, but I couldn't say I disliked the idea.

As we walked from the train station to the café, she seemed fascinated by the number of local businesses throughout the area. The gentle girl was in awe of our surroundings with every step we made toward our destination. Was this her first time in Kichijoji? How often she went out on her own? Her behavior was somewhat curious.

"There's a Jazz club over there!" Haru pointed out.

"I can see that."

The place didn't seem open at this hour, but the board said they had daily special mocktails. I wanted to check that out the next time I had spare time.

We continued walking until we arrived shortly at the café. We sat on one of the tables outside and began ordering our drinks. I thought of ordering the same thing as Haru since I didn't feel I knew anything better than what I ordered last time. Also, she wanted to pay for my cup of coffee even though it would be unfair on my part. She really insisted.

"Are you acknowledgeable about coffee?" she asked me.

"I, uh, not really. Other than if I want it hot or cold, and if I want it with sugar and cream." My answer wasn't exuberant. "I only know there are different kinds of coffee beans, but I could never answer you if I know any."

"That's okay. Not many people may know about it," Haru reassured. "I'm only asking since you have already visited this café."

"Not exactly my idea. I only knew this place because I went with other people."

"Oh, so you went with friends?"

"Sort of..."

Calling Kurusu, Akechi, and Yoshizawa "my friends" wouldn't be accurate. Kurusu was probably someone I should call a friend since we hung out occasionally. Still, he was more of a benefactor because of our deal. My superior, in other words.

Akechi was a famous detective. A celebrity. I couldn't be called "his friend" without thinking I was lying. Even with the coincidental meetings around town, I felt more like a distraction than anything.

Yoshizawa's situation was more complicated. Despite how friendly she was with me, it was not worth explaining.

I was more the oddity among them. It got me thinking momentarily, but I couldn't remain quiet as Haru continued staring at me.

As our drinks arrived, I tried to cool my coffee with a few blows before taking the first sip. My perception of good coffee got warped after I tried Leblanc's for the first time because it didn't taste as great as there. Haru tried to taste hers without burning her tongue, and she seemed to enjoy it more.

"So," I said with a more relaxed tone, "are you trying to learn how to make your own coffee?"

"I am. I was thinking of making my own blend, but I need to better understand how other places handle their coffee. I only learned the basics in a book."

"A book, huh? It sounds interesting."

"Do you read a lot? I remember when you helped me that time in Jinbocho."

"Saying that I like reading would be an understatement," I said while shrugging. "I have always liked it since I was younger. I try to read a new book or two every month."

"That sounds incredible. You must been very disciplined you can keep up with books that often."

"It is nothing special. Really."

"Not many people our age read that much," Haru said modestly. "Like how I'm dedicated to gardening, you seem very passionate about your hobby as well."

I could get the gist of that comparison. It was true that in this modern age of technology, people my age didn't read physical books anymore and only looked at their phones all the time. The more I grew up, the more I felt like a stranger.

I looked at my reflection in my coffee, thinking how long it had been since things were so simple. A lot had changed since the dreadful day for my family, and it was surreal how things were for me now.

"I...well...always had difficulty having friends as a kid," I began running my mouth without thinking if that was something Haru should listen to. "My family used to be somewhat influential. Not exactly prosperous, but both my grandpa and dad were important. Kids in my grade knew about my status, and it felt like I was a world apart from them, almost frightened of me. Reading only gave me some form of comfort, even during the worst times..."

There was an awkward silence between Haru and me. She didn't know how to respond while I looked at the street. The chatter from the people passing by only alleviated the moment, but I knew I couldn't be like this for long. Quite a riveting conversation from a dumbass like me.

I took another sip of my coffee before saying, "Sorry for the random tangent..." I vowed a bit while scratching the back of my head. "It wasn't my intention to be a downer while trying to enjoy the coffee."

Haru shook her head. "Don't worry about it," she said sweetly. "I can relate to how you feel."

"You do? Why?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I can't say much, but I have difficulty relating to my classmates."

"Seriously? You seem perfectly capable of getting along with anyone."

"I might, but just a bit." She sighed deeply before sipping her cup and continuing. "I wish to make more friends at school, but I don't know if I could fit in anyone's group."

I began thinking of the Phantom Thieves. Since they were the only ones I knew who were friendly enough in that school, I was confident they would get along with Haru. However, there was an issue: We couldn't precisely invite anyone to our circle because of our activities in the Metaverse. What a head-splitting dilemma.

"I'm sure there are people you could befriend," I said roundaboutly. "Maybe starting with one person at a time."

Haru looked at me with hopeful eyes. She smiled and said, "Yes. That sounds like a wonderful idea."

The awkward air dissipated between us.

As we finished our cups, I looked at the hour. I knew it was almost time to go to Shinjuku before the trains got crowded.

"I'm sorry if I can't stay any longer," I told the girl, making an apologetic hand gesture. "Will you be alright on your own? I need to hurry to work."

"That's okay, Kat-kun. I have somebody to pick me up soon."

"Good to know. Thanks for the coffee!"

"Before you go," she said as we stood up. "May ask you something?"

"What is it?" I responded with confusion.

"Would you like to exchange phone numbers?" Haru asked without stammering. She seemed anxious, and I couldn't blame her for feeling that way since I would never dare ask the same of anyone.

"S-Sure? But why?"

"Well, I, huh...my apologies if that came out of nowhere, but I thought we could talk again if you have time." She tried to regain her composure. "I hope that isn't an issue!"

"It is not."

We exchanged numbers before leaving the café. She was relieved after saying goodbye, and I couldn't deny that I also had a good time.

This week just started, and I had a hunch that I was about to get really busy in the following days. It was hard to say if that was something optimistic or not.